Living Joy in a Broken World

Chasing bunnies. . .

We were new in town, about three months, when my husband’s thoughtful co-worker gifted our 7 year old son two beautiful snow white, velvet soft, red- eyed bunnies. The sweetest things, and so fun to watch. . .we didn’t know that we would end up spending the first five years of our new lives here in the country chasing bunnies.

Andrew showed us how responsible he was by caring for, cleaning up and looking after his new pets. We were city folk. . .fresh out of the suburban smog. How were we to know that. . .well…lurking around every corner of the field, barn, and stream banks were predators seeking a filling meal.

It was Father’s Day. Andrew jumped out of the car after returning home from church still wearing his navy blue pants, pin stripped shirt and clip on tie. Before playing, I told him to feed the bunnies. It was a scream I’ll never forget. The kind that you know just took away part of your normal. My purse released from my grip fell to the ground as I kicked off my heals and ran to the back yard.

Andrew was walking back from the bunny cage, eyes wet from grief and shock from a reality far to
advanced for his young soul. A child who had already endured the death of his brother, the loss of our home and now his new hope. . .gone. All gone.

I ran to the bunny cage to find two crimson soaked, headless bodies. The cuts were clean with no
evidence of entry to the cage. The heads completely missing. . .I was devastated for my little boy. Why did he have to witness this horror? Why did the foundation of cynicism have to be lain so early. This loss in life would keep us searching. . .chasing after a new purpose, new life, new hope. . .chasing after new bunnies.

A few weeks later, we entered a pet store and picked out three brand new bunnies. One for each of our boys. Three little boy bunnies we thought. Within three months, we were a bunny factory. Apparently, we had a combination of one boy and two girls. I became the expert on everything. . .bunny. The factory was quickly shut down. But I still I spent more time chasing little hopplings all around our backyard than I did little children inside. Many mornings, one could easily find the crazy Lamgo woman on the hill running around the yard, barefoot, in my jammies, swearing while running after these bunnies. As frustrated as I was. . .the new lives made me smile.

Over the course of five years, we had every kind of bunny possible. Lops, Dwarfs, Angora’s. . .our lawn was beautifully fertilized.

Living on a farm, we see constant death. It’s a part of life. But then there is that beauty that brings new hope. The new life. The birth of a new day, new hope, a new start.

A New life. . .fresh into this world, is a beautiful thing. And because of that beauty of birth and newness, we celebrate new creation, new birth, the anniversary of the new birth; and the new love in our lives that brings the new hope that lives in every heart.

As a Christian, one of our most anticipated holiday’s is just around the corner. The celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and savior, Jesus, the Christ, the son of the living God. Many know this holiday as Easter. A word debated over time to mean both the resurrection of Jesus and that big ole giant white bunny that lays eggs and hides them for children to find.

I prefer Resurrection Sunday over the recognized, Easter Sunday, which after researching is actually a name for the pagan goddess Eastre. As much as we would like to connect the rituals of fertility with our Lord, it is just another way Christians have confused generational sheep herding with actual truth. I know, it’s harsh. I’m not condemning anyone who collects baskets full of eggs or gives fluffy bunnies to their kids. I loved on and chased those bunnies for years. But this year, we’ll be looking at Jesus. . .His great life, death, resurrection and the meaning of it all. I already re-visited my life with the bunny. . .now let’s look at the egg.

Why not take a deeper look into the egg? I’m a farmer’s wife. So, by association. . .I’m a farmer. I have chickens that lay eggs and we gather them daily. Not to color or hide on a grassy hill. . .but to eat! And sometimes, we save a few chicken or duck eggs for the incubator. A chance to witness new life. A brand new fresh start.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Cor 5:17

Life. . .a precious yet broken thing. I spent so many hours of my life chasing after everything to satisfy the empty, the broken, the beaten. Searching for the newness we all feel will fill that void.

Even cute little bunny rabbits couldn’t comfort the sorrow.

Soon we will be remembering how Jesus was tortured, beaten, and died for the sake of saving each and every one of us who desires just what we’ve been seeking. New life. A new life, in Him. . .with Him. . .an eternal salvation. The filling of the void with the love of a Savior. Eggs and Bunnies may not be the real reason for celebrating His Story. But the great gift given by our Lord. . .the saving from an eternal death. . .and a life without Him. . .the life He saves. . .newness of life, the life to be is something to celebrate. It is a gift I pray each of you will one day open, receive and treasure.

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

For so many of us, Easter Sunday is a one day celebration. But without it. . .we have no new life, no hope. Jesus did not just die for us. He came back to life. His Resurrection shows us that with God there is a newness of life. The old is past away. . .and we are NEW! Brand spankin new. No matter what you came from, no matter what you’ve done. . .no matter how many bunnies you’ve chased in your lifetime. . .you can start over. You can make all new. And for the child of Christ who already believed, we are reminded that we have the remembrance of the Living God who raised from the dead as well as the Heavenly Father who has given us our inheritance through Him.

“In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”

Eph 1:11-12

Every day is a party! Every day the Lord grants us one more day, we celebrate. Not only for the life He created in the first place. . .but the New life he gave us when he suffered, died and rose again for us. . .His children. We have every reason to celebrate!!!

“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”